Fire apparatus



J. B. BLAW 1,775,846

FIRE APPARATUS Sept. .16, 1930.

Filed June '7, 1924 fiver-Mar. Jacob 1!. 67am Patented Sept. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JACOB IB. BLAW', OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY; SADIE H. BLAW EXECUTRIX OF SAID JACOB B. BLAW, DECEASED FIRE APPARATUS Application filed June 7, 1924. Serial No. 718,508.

The object of my invention is to provide apparatus which may be employed in directeach other that may be found effective or desirable and be maintained in operation without the necessity of the attendance of firemen.

The result of an apparatus of this character not only permits a large number of water streams to be directed upon the buildings or tanks with the employment of a minimum number of firemen, but also enables the firemen to be released for other duties after settingthe nozzles in proper positions for insurin the desired directions of the streams.

My object is further to provide an apparatus in which a portion is permanently positioned adjacent to the tanks or buildings to be protected and to be employed in association with nozzle supporting and adjusting means of a portable nature which may be transferred from place to place 1n connection with the permanent equipment aforesaid, so

that the streams may be directed upon those particular portions of the tanks or buildings which may need attention.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more fully understood from the description hereinafter, the

' invention consists in the novel construction of fire apparatus, as hereinafter more fully described and defined in the claims.

- Referring to the drawings: Fig. l is a side elevation illustrating two oil tanks, such as employed for storage, with my improved fire apparatus shown in action; Fig. 2 is a plan supporting pedestal for the nozzle clamps,

with the latter removed; Fig. 6 is a sectional view with the pedestal lowered into the casing and the latter closed with a cover; and

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a simpler form of pedestal than shown in Fig. 3.

In the general carrying out-of the invention, pedestals are positioned about the tanks or buildings to be protected against fire at convenient positions from which streams of water may be directed to accomplish the most good and upon which pedestals portable nozzle clamps, with capacity for adjustment, may be quickly positioned or detached, these clamps ordinarily being a part of the fire department equiment and adapted to be positioned upon the pedestal supports located as a permanent part of the tank or building equipment. Where the pedestals are permanent fixtures extending upward from the ground, the nozzles supported thereby are supplied with water from a water main or mains buried in the ground and having upwardly extending outlets to which short hose sections may be detachably clampedfor supplying the adjustable nozzles with water.

\Vith the above explanation, the invention as applied to protecting oil storage tanks, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, will be better understood, and the same general understanding will apply to the mode of operation and as to, the details of the equipment in respect to its use for the protection of buildings or other objects.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2: The tanks are represented at 2 and may be considered as of the usual storage tank types built up in a surrounding reservoir 8. At a distance from these tanks and on opposite sides are arranged pedestals 9 upon which nozzles 3 are there are three streams of water 4 being projected upon opposite sides of the tank, so that there are six streams altogether. These are directed by the nozzles 3 (Fig. 4) and are disposed at such angles to each other as to project the water approximately upon all 7 sides of thetank. The streams are inclined upward to near the top of the tank and the water thus projected upon the surface ofthe "metal of the tank runs downward, as an enthe practice is to smother the fire,butat the 'same time keep the shell ,ofthe tank ascool closing sheet, and will ,beqcollected in the reservoir 8 surrounding the; tank and to that extent add further cooling eli'ec tto the tank and its contents, should the'latterbe on'fir'e." The 1n'ozzles '3 are-a dj'ustablysupported upon m the pedestals and connectedfiiththe main 6,?v

substantially in the manner shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. e In thecase of burning oilin storage tanks,

as possible until the-fire hasbeen smothered ,1 out. In utilizing .my'improvements vfor surroundingthe tank shell with-ha watenfilm, I .insuretheproper direction of the st reams o by reason of the fact that the pluralityof I nozzles maybe adjusted in definite positions and lockedithereat so as to maintain the,

v streams continuouslywithout requiring any furtherjattendance on the part of: the firemen. ,It will be understoodthat when the atmosg phere surrounding the immediate fire is of} hightemperature, firemen cannot remain too .oloseizf or any great length 01": time and under those circumstances, it is difl icult to handle so V fluent, however, thenozzles may bequickly the hose lines efiectivelyL By my improve posit-ioned and adjusted. and water supplied,

. to them, and thereaiftenthe firemen may move; toa cooler anclsarer .dlstancefleavlng the noz .,zles to .Qcontinue their work of directing the streams. ,It willibe-seen from this that the same firemen who set the nozzles for 1 directingthe; streams upon the tank or burning,

. buildin'gemay quickly install ,and adjust a j that arelatlvely few firemenmay within a second and third set ofsimilar nozzlesfsoi [few minutes I provide a dozen or moreerfec tlve streams, upon theburnmgob ects with q r g Referring to the details illustrated Figs; 3, 4 and 5: 9 isfthe, pedestal and is-extensibl'ef vertically in respect to, an'. iron,tubular'cas :ing 10 which, is embeddedat the bottom in'a concrete block ;11, the depthotthefcasing eflicient results and withrelatively littledan ear to, the fi iemenrthemselvesl I i 1 below the ground level 140. being somewhat greater than the length of the pedestal so that s the latter 'may be lowered and completely Q shielded when not in use, as indicated in Fig.

6.' illustratesla cover, which -fits over the projecting end ofthe tubular casing '10, thereby guarding the casing from the entrance of water. The pedestal 9 may be ofwood-and r provided with a. series of transverse apertures .1'2through which a, rod 13 may be passed, the ends of said rod resting in notchedportions 14 on the upper ends of thetubula'r casing 10.

In this manner, the pedestal 9 may be lifted Tto'any height desired "for use." At thejipper end of the pedestal 9is secured an adapter ifivasate plate 15 bolted in position by lag screws 17 and having upwardly projecting flanges to provide crossing slotted-portions 16, said flanges provided with transverse apertures 18 through which pins 19,1naybe arranged when attaching the nozzle carrying head 20.

The nozzle carrying head 20 is "provided with anupright hub 22-and oppositely di die hub. The lowerlpartofthe head-20 is 'fprovided with downwardly extending flange portions 21 which fit the slots 16 and are 1 secured therein by means of the transverse pins 19. V In this manner, thehead20 is quickly seouredftolthe adapter l5 andmay be set in the position shown in F ig. 3, or in the posi; V ,tion shown Fig. 't,' the latter beingfiat right angles to. the position shownin"Eig,- 3,'th is v, difierencefin adjustment being. permitted by reason of the fact that the two Slotted porrecte'd oblique: hubs 23, the lattenarrang'ed,

at somewhatxlower elevation than the mid, 5

tio'ns 16 are at rightanglesto each other; Ad-

fice to describe one of them in detail."

'24 is a yoke having ashank Q'Z fitting into and journaled in the hub "22(or' other hubs I 23). a'nd may beclainpeditherein, after ad."

'- justment, "by the} clamping screw "28.1 The ,hose nozzleholder 25 is hinged? 26 on a transverse axis, said axis beingat rightangles" tO-tllG ZtXlS of the shank 27 ot the yoke, thereby givingto thenozzleholdercapacity for a a universal ad ustment with respect to the ljustably fittedtoeach one ofthe hubs 22and 23 arearranged suitable fire nozzle clamping I and. supporting means-the construction jot" which will be clearly:understoodfroni, Figs. V :3 and 4. I As all Ofthese nozzle; clamping and 1 supporting meansare the'sanie,' i t willsui- I pedesta iand ground. The nozzle' support is provided '1 with 1a curved 1 nozzle clamp" 30] h nged on one end ,31ito jthesupport an'd at the other end adapted to bedrawn downrand maintained in clampingpbsiflQli-byihinged bolt, an d' wing nut 32.;By this means the {ire nozzleg may be lolampedln position upon the support 25 and through itmade universally} adj ustajble, The jnezzle' suppor 25 is provided with an ar c shaped clamping memclamped therein by a sameness; In this manner, the fire hose nozzle isf's upported upon'thef yeke 24 and adjustable 'side'wise about the axis of'the journal shank 27 there;

'ofand may also be adjustableabout a trans;; verse "axis coincident with j the .pivots 26) This mode of supportpermits the nozzle to- :be adjusted 'to anyiateralor vertical angle which maybe it'ound'jdesirable. Thetwo hubs 23 are similarly providedwith adjustable,

firev nozzle supports, thereby giving to each nozzle. capacity for independent universal;

adjustment; so that the three firenozzles 3 may be independently adjusted to provide relative adjustment in the positions'of the water streams 4 from said nozzles. In this manner, the streams" may be concentrated where. a great quantity of water is required,

7 or spread apart when an extended surface is tobe subjected to a lesser volume of water per unit of area. L

It will be'seen that as the middle hub 22 is higher than the hubs 23, the adjustable nozzle supporting means and nozzle carried thereby, may have a free opportunity for adjustment over the other nozzles and their supports.

As shown in Fig. 4, the fire nozzle 3 is supplied with water under pressure by the short hose section 38, coupledat one end to the nozzle and at the other end to an outlet 37 on the head 36 close to the ground in the vicinity of the pedestal and connecting by a downward pipe section with the underground water main 6. As shown, the head 36 has three outlets 37, namely, one for each hose section respectively, coupled with each of the three fire nozzles 3, one such connection only being shown for purpose of avoiding confusion. It will be understood that any of the nozzles 3 may be supplied with water directly from the fire engine and I, therefore, do not confine myself to any particular source of supply.

In cases where capacity may be desired to permit of the nozzle supporting head 20 to be adjusted about a vertical axis to shift the plurality of streams to different buildings or parts of one building, this may be accomplished by rotating the pedestal 9 upon the tubular casing 10, and adapting the rod 13 to others of the notches 14, there being eight of such positions of adjustment shown. It is manifest, that this turn-table principle of construction may be provided in any suitable manner, that shown being by way of example only. In cases where pedestals permanently above the ground are not objectionable, they may be made as shown in Fig. 7, where- V in the wooden pedestal 9 is built into a concrete base largely embedded in the ground and projecting to an extent sufiicient to pre vent rotting of the wood by contact with moist earth. It is manifest that the pedestals may be made of metal, if so desired.

In respect to the fire nozzle supports, I have shown the specific construction which I have found effective in practice for definitely holding the nozzle and for providing universal adjustment thereof, but I do not restrict myself to the details shown as these nozzle clamps and supports may be made in any other suitable manner; therefore, what I have illustrated, may be taken by way of example only.

/Vhile I have shown the body 20 adapted for supporting three nozzle clamps, I do not limit my invention in this respect, as one or more such nozzle supporting and adjusting means may be used at any one time.

I have particularly referred to the possilines, but it is to be kept in mind that the usual hose lines from the fire engines or high pressure fire plugs may be employed for direct supply to the nozzles supported on the pedestals where found convenient. In fact, in many cases, water supply to the nozzles will be obtained in this manner. It will also be understood that where underground water mains 6 are employed, they may connect directly with the high pressure mains by extensions 6 (Fig. 2).

While I have illustrated the pedestal construction in Figs. 3 and 7 as being upright solid body portions 9 conveniently made of wood, it will be understood that these pedestal portions whether in fixed form or vertically extensible may be constructed of open metal work, such as made of angle or channel irons, but which directly or indirectly are fixedly positioned as to location with respect to the objects to be protected against destruction by fire.

It will. also be understood that where mains are provided with the plurality of outlets 37 for supplying water streams to a plurality of nozzles by the employment of intermediary flexible sections of hose 38, each of said outlets 37 may be provided with an independentshut-off valve such as indicated at 36 (Fig. l), so that any nozzle may be detached or applied at will without interfering with the other nozzles in connection with the main.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that my invention is more particularly designed for fighting fires in oil works, refineries, lumber yards, ware-houses, etc, where congestion and hazards are encountered, endangering the lives of firemen; and will be useful by enabling the placing of fire nozzles and hose lines in advantageous positions with rapidity around burning tanks or buildings of all descriptions, especially where there are explosives and materials of a very combustible nature at or adjacent to the place of conflagration. My invention is further advantageous for quick handling of heavy or high pressure hose lines wherein great effort is required to handle the same under ordinary conditions. Aside from the advantages thus secured, the invention eliminates the necessity of firemen remaining constantly within zones of temperature which are unbearable, while, at the same time, insuring better service automatically than could be secured by the constant attendance of firemen in such dangerous positions.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which Q the adapter andhead consists of a substan embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have indthe present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof n which has been found in practice to give satisfactory randd r eliable results, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details,asthe same are susceptible of modification in various particulars Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

No claim is made in this application to the method, or, arrangement of the posts in tance above the. ground; level, an adapter 'fixedpositions" about the object to be pro: tected against fire andin conjunction with which adjustable fireinozzle supports are, provided for directing streams from posi': tions corresponding tolthe posts or pedestals upon the said object,'as said subject matter is' a removed from this case to ,form subject matter ofadivisional application.

downwardly extending web adapted to fit Q l the recesses selectively in either oftwo positions atapproXimatelyQO"apart, and de:

tachabletransverse parts "are provided "for" a if V I which inventiom'I here- 70 lockingthe web to the recessed portions; f

In testimony of unto set my hand.

vHaving now described my invention, what I I claim as new and desiretoseoure by Letters] Patentis 1; In alfire the combination of an uprightpedestalfixedly positioned in the l ground and constituting a support at a dis fixedly secured to the upper endofthe pedestal and a portable ,headdetachably connected with the adapter,theconnection between the v I said headand the adapter vcoInpr-ising i nterengaging complimentary partsone on the Y adapter and "-thei'other on? the head for'permitting a plurality of definite horizontal ad'- justments of the head relatively tothe post I I and adapter, and a nozzle holding clamppiw' otedtothe-h'eadFa-nd adjustable thereon about an upright axislwhereby thejstream of water fromthe nozzle maybe thrownin various y directions about the pedestal and the nozzle e clamp and attached head may be disconnected as annit from the adapter for portable use I upon similar pedestals otherwisepositioned.

QEThe invention according to claim 1, I

whereinthe detachable connection between tially horizontah transverse slotted recess in" I "one ofjthe parts anda'corresponding sui stantially horizontal web in the other 'of the 'parts, and a removablepin for detachably locking the parts together.

1 I 3. In a fire apparatus, the combination of a fixed upright pedestal constituting a support 5 extending above the ground level, a portable v i i an adjustable nozzle holding. clamp whereby the nozzle mayi'be independently adjusted;

relatively to the head for directing thestream I pedestal is provided with an adapter formed with crossing transverse recesses at 90 to each other and thehead is provided with a h of water, and-whereinfurther, the top of the a 

